While MTV is having adventures in instantaneity, New York 1 is announcing that no rain is expected as I sit here looking at the raindrops brightening the black paint of the fire escape at my window. This particular reel was probably recorded hours ago. Even more annoying, it's playing on Headline News, where I turn not for local news, but for all the news. If I want NY1, I'll turn to NY1. Dunno... feels like cross-promotion to me, not a helpful service.

On MTV's Video Clash, the audience can choose from two options to decide the next video in near-real-time by voting using SMS messages or going to MTV.com. What amazes me about this is how into the idea I am. It's such a narrow channel of control, but the power of knowing the decision is happening now on dozens or thousands of phones and computers all over the place feels enormous.

First of all, check out this incredible building presiding over Syracuse University, The Hall of Languages. (Also see a webcam for it here.) I arrived in time for John Hlinko's talk at this conference by the Center for Digital Literacy. (Also in time for tasty BBQ from Dinosaur Barbecue.) Hlinko's sharp and funny and clear and you can see his background as an economist, comedy writer (what's with the Wesleyan corner on comedy writing?) and the creator of DraftWesleyClark.com. The same savvy is apparent when he explains some of the tactics that the Draft Clark folks used. They were thinking holistically about a communications strategy, not just presuming that a grassroots/magic-bullet/sliced-bread approach would scale them to the amazing level of success they achieved. People don't make this point enough. For the Internet to do what it can for your campaign, or your product for that matter, it needs to be…